Korey Toomer

Colts Audition LB Korey Toomer

The Colts are eyeing some reinforcement at linebacker. Veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer reports (via Twitter) that the team auditioned linebacker Korey Toomer today.

The team has suddenly been hit with injuries to their linebacker corps. Starter Anthony Walker Jr. missed last week with a shoulder injury, while reserve linebacker Skai Moore was placed on injured reserve earlier this month. Plus, the Colts have seen lackluster production from the position outside of Walker and Darius Leonard, although it’s too late in the season to make any significant lineup changes.

Toomer could at least provide Indy with a veteran rotation piece. The 30-year-old was plenty productive last season with the Chargers, compiling 48 tackles, one sack, three passes defended, one pick, and two forced fumbles. Toomer signed a one-year deal with the 49ers this offseason, but he didn’t make it to the regular season with his new team. He ended up catching on with the Packers, and he compiled three tackles in seven games with Green Bay this season. The team ended up releasing the veteran in late November.

The Colts have been eyeing some defensive reinforcement for several weeks, as they recently auditioned a pair of linebackers in Chris Odom and Greer Martini. The Colts are recently worked out defensive end Marcus Smith.

NFL Workout Updates: 12/12/18

Today’s workout updates, all courtesy of veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer (on Twitter):

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Green Bay Packers

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

San Francisco 49ers

NFL Workout Updates: 12/4/18

Here is the latest from the workout circuit. All links to NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account, unless otherwise noted.

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Miami Dolphins

New York Jets

Oakland Raiders

Pittsburgh Steelers

Washington Redskins

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/28/18

Today’s minor moves:

Green Bay Packers

Miami Dolphins

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Packers Sign LB Korey Toomer

It didn’t take long for Korey Toomer to find a new job, as the veteran linebacker is signing with the Packers according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).

Toomer signed a one-year deal with the 49ers back in April, but was released Saturday as part of final cuts. Toomer has earned journeyman status over the past couple years, spending time with the Seahawks, Cowboys, Rams, Raiders, Chargers, and 49ers across his relatively short career.

Toomer, a Super Bowl XLVIII champion with the Seahawks, was drafted by Seattle in the fifth round back in 2012. Toomer will provide depth and experience to a Packers linebacking corp that’s been plagued by injuries this offseason. Starter Jake Ryan was lost for the season with a torn ACL, and projected starter Oren Burks will miss at least a couple weeks with a shoulder injury.

Toomer played mostly on special teams earlier in his career, but began to make a big impact on defense with the Chargers. He started eight games each of the past two seasons, and was serviceable. For his career, the former Idaho Vandal has 130 tackles, two sacks, and five passes defended.

In a corresponding roster move, the team placed wide receiver Jake Kumerow on injured reserve.

49ers Cut 21 Players, Reach 53-Man Max

The 49ers have reached the 53-man roster maximum after releasing 21 players on Saturday afternoon. Here’s the full rundown:

The following players have been released:

In addition to those cuts, the Niners also have a few extra spots on their initial 53-man roster thanks to suspensions for wide receiver Victor Bolden and linebacker Reuben Foster. They’ll also be without defensive lineman Kentavius Street as he sits on the NFI list.

49ers To Cut LB Korey Toomer

Signed during a period when Reuben Foster‘s NFL future was in jeopardy, Korey Toomer will not make a 49ers team that will have the services of its top linebacker.

The 49ers will release Toomer as they pare their roster down to 53 players, Matt Barrows of The Athletic tweets.

Toomer is the second notable name the 49ers have parted with recently at linebacker. San Francisco traded former starter Eli Harold to the Lions. Rookie Fred Warner has impressed 49ers brass, per Barrows, leading to the Toomer decision.

Toomer served as a part-time Chargers starter over the past two years. He’s a vested veteran, so he’ll pass through to free agency as a result of this cut.

 

NFC West Notes: Baldwin, Shields, 49ers

Doug Baldwin is back at Seahawks practice after missing the preseason with a knee injury. As expected, Seattle’s top wide receiver plans on returning for Week 1, per the Associated Press. Baldwin may or may not have undergone a procedure for his sore left knee, the soon-to-be 30-year-old pass-catcher not denying an operation of some sort took place. The eighth-year Seahawk also expects to have to deal with knee pain this season, saying he’ll have to manage this issue throughout the year. The Seahawks are counting on Baldwin to reprise his role as Russell Wilson‘s favorite target, but while he was out, newcomers Jaron Brown and Brandon Marshall logged extensive first-team time. But Baldwin remains Seattle’s centerpiece receiver and a key veteran after so many on defense were jettisoned this offseason.

Here’s the latest from the NFC West:

  • Sam Shields‘ comeback attempt may clear a key barrier. The former Packers starter is on track to make the Rams‘ 53-man roster, Lindsay Thiry of ESPN.com writes. While he stands to be behind Los Angeles’ top three of Aqib Talib, Marcus Peters and Nickell Robey-Coleman, Shields making it back onto a roster would be a significant development considering how concussion issues nearly ended his career. The 30-year-old defender has not played since Week 1 of the 2016 season.
  • Under optimal circumstances, Mike Person may have been third in the running for the 49ers’ right guard job. Jonathan Cooper and Joshua Garnett are ex-first-rounders both are out-earning the 30-year-old UDFA who is attached to a league-minimum contract. But Person is the odds-on favorite to open the season with the starters, Kyle Shanahan said (via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area, on Twitter). Despite Cooper’s one-year, $4.95MM contract, Person is competing to hold off Garnett, per Matt Barrows of The Athletic (on Twitter).
  • One of the 49ers’ Reuben Foster insurance policies may not make the roster. A 16-game Chargers starter between the 2016 and ’17 seasons, linebacker Korey Toomer is on the bubble going into the 49ers’ final preseason game, Barrows writes (subscription required). Foster’s return induced the 49ers to move Mark Nzeocha to outside ‘backer, where he has a chance to start, and Elijah Lee is also competing for a roster spot. Toomer may make the team’s initial 53-man roster, because of Foster’s two-game suspension, but Barrows notes he’s not a lock to be one of San Francisco’s backups this season.
  • Arthur Moats probably won’t be ready for the Cardinals’ regular-season opener because of an MCL issue.

49ers To Sign Korey Toomer

The 49ers have signed linebacker Korey Toomer, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Toomer met with the Niners on Tuesday and agreed to a deal soon after. 

Toomer hooked on with the Chargers early in the 2016 season and he worked his way into the team’s rotation. He earned positive marks from Pro Football Rumors for his performance as a part-timer. It sound be noted that he has only a limited sample to offer from last season as he appeared in just 266 snaps.

Niners defensive coordinator Robert Saleh was a defensive quality control coach in Seattle when the Seahawks drafted Toomer six years ago, so he could be in line for a decent role in SF. Toomer, 29, had a pick six against the Bills Week 11 of the 2017 season and had a career-high 71 tackles in ’16.

Toomer will help to fortify a linebacker group fraught with question marks. Malcolm Smith is coming off an injury that wiped out his first season with the Niners and Reuben Foster is under investigation for an alleged domestic violence incident.

LB Korey Toomer To Visit 49ers

An eight-game starter for the Chargers in each of the past two seasons, Korey Toomer will visit another California team that’s expressing interest.

The veteran linebacker will visit the 49ers on Wednesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. A 2012 fifth-round pick, Toomer previously met with the Colts during this free agency period. Eric Williams of ESPN.com points out (via Twitter) current San Francisco DC Robert Saleh was a defensive quality control coach in Seattle when the Seahawks drafted Toomer six years ago.

San Francisco has some issues at linebacker presently. Under ideal circumstances, Reuben Foster and Malcolm Smith would be starting linebackers for the 49ers. But Smith is coming off an injury that nullified his first season with the Niners, and Foster is under investigation related to an alleged domestic violence incident.

The Bolts signed Toomer off the Raiders’ practice squad early in the 2016 season, and he became a part-time performer for the team. Pro Football Focus graded his two Chargers seasons as upper-echelon work. However, he only played 266 snaps last season despite suiting up for 15 games. Toomer, now 29, returned an interception for a score last season and made a career-high 71 tackles in 2016.